diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_counter.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_counter.c
index 886dcf334bc350de15ccbc5844fb11d8e089f50c..5bfd30ab39205aabafbfe8fe1fc937c892bbbb50 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_counter.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_counter.c
@@ -286,6 +286,9 @@ static int __hw_perf_counter_init(struct perf_counter *counter)
 		hwc->nmi = 1;
 	}
 
+	if (!hwc->irq_period)
+		hwc->irq_period = x86_pmu.max_period;
+
 	atomic64_set(&hwc->period_left,
 			min(x86_pmu.max_period, hwc->irq_period));